PHOTOS: Umuahia Deserted as Residents Observe IPOB’s Sit-at-Home

Last updated: May 30, 2025. 10:24 am

By Praise Ben

3 Min Read

Umuahia Deserted IPOB’s Sit-at-Home

Umuahia Deserted as Residents Observe IPOB’s Sit-at-Home.
Banks, schools, markets shut; youths seen playing football on streets.
No security presence or reported violence during Friday’s lockdown.

Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, witnessed an unusual calm on Friday as residents strictly complied with the sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to honour fallen Biafran heroes.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the directive, issued earlier on May 12 by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, mandated residents across the Southeast to remain indoors on May 30, 2025. The group stated that the date had been set aside to remember those who died in the struggle for Biafra’s independence.

In Umuahia, the usually lively streets fell silent, with businesses, markets, and public offices all under lock and key. Commercial banks suspended operations, while schools—both public and private—remained closed, forcing students and pupils to stay at home.

Major roads such as Aba Road, Ikot Ekpene Road, and Umuwaya Road were largely empty, with only a few tricycles and private vehicles spotted moving intermittently.

Despite the shutdown, there were no reports of violence or confrontations between IPOB sympathisers and security personnel. Interestingly, security forces were notably absent from the streets, a departure from previous sit-at-home exercises that had often seen a heavy security presence.

Some residents took advantage of the deserted roads to engage in recreational activities. Groups of youths were seen playing football on open streets, while others sat in clusters in front of their homes, discussing political and social issues.

While the state government did not officially endorse the sit-at-home, compliance was widespread, reflecting the influence IPOB still holds in parts of the Southeast.

As of the time of filing this report, no incidents of enforcement-related violence had been recorded in Umuahia.